By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Jayme Donnelly takes over at Ozark after he served as an assistant at Kickapoo for an extended stint that saw him make multiple Final Four runs.
After previously passing on head coaching opportunities, Donnelly felt like Ozark was one of those jobs worth jumping for.
“The Ozark program has been a staple in this area for a long time,” said Donnelly. “It has a supportive community, great facilities, and has the talent to compete for championships. I have been very grateful and thankful that they gave me an opportunity to prove myself as a young coach.”
He inherits a program that isn’t short of talent with a trio of talented seniors returning in Hudson Roberts, Cohen George and Manny Stover.
Roberts is an Arkansas baseball commit but has been a standout on the hardwood as well, averaging 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals as a junior.
The 6-foot-4 guard is a matchup nightmare.
At 6-foot-11, George is one of the biggest players in the area and has a diverse skill set to his game. Stover is a 6-foot-3 guard that came off the bench last year to average 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds but has some explosiveness to his game.
“Hudson is a well-rounded basketball player with the ability to shoot with range as well as use his athleticism to break down defenses,” said Donnelly. “We are looking forward to a great senior year from Hudson.
“We are looking for Cohen to have a breakout season. For his size he has great touch from the perimeter and at the basket. For his position he is a great passing post player with a great feel and IQ for the game. Manny was the sixth man last year and will be looking at stepping into a bigger role as a senior. He has a quick first step and has the ability to create for others and break down defenses with his athleticism.”
Sophomore Kylan Pickren (6-4) is also back.
One of the top 2027s in the Ozarks, Pickren averaged 12.7 points and 2.3 rebounds as a freshman in a league that is generally very difficult on young players.
He should see increases across the board in his production.
“Kylan Pickren had a great year as a freshman and will look to use that momentum going into his second varsity season,” said Donnelly. “Kylan has extended range, can play both inside and out, and is a high IQ player that can play multiple positions. We are looking forward to seeing him take his game to the next level.”
Several new faces will look to make an impact with a large class of seniors being at the core.
Jaxon Dublin (6-3), Taygen Scott (6-4), Jack Berryman (6-2), Sam Clark (6-0) and Drew Hayward (5-10) will all be in the mix for minutes.
Donnelly has been impressed by that group’s athleticism and toughness.
Sophomore Hendrix Haymes (6-6, 230) is a sleeper for the Tigers as a big bodied post.
Fans can expect to see a slightly different style of basketball from Ozark this season with Donnelly looking to blend some things he did at Kickapoo with some of his own philosophies.
“Fans can expect from us to play unselfishly with our ball movement and have the ability to play inside and out,” said Donnelly. “We have a great blend of size and guard play to help us have a well-balanced attack.
“Defensively, we expect to be tough both mentally and physically. We want to be a great rebounding team that makes it hard on other teams to get shots that they want.”
Ozark has the talent to hit the ground running under Donnelly, despite just how talented the conference and district are.
“In order for us to compete for championships we will have to be a great rebounding team and take care of the ball on offense. If we can limit team’s chances to get shots and do a good job of getting shots, we will give ourselves opportunities to win and compete with those in the conference and district
“It is all about building daily habits that promote making winning plays. Keeping teams to one and done on the defensive end, making plays on 50/50 balls, and understanding player personnel. Consistency and discipline will play a major factor in our ability to make plays in big moments. ”
Ozark will open the 2024-25 season and the Donnelly Era on Dec. 5 at the Republic Tournament.
